If 200 journalists can converge on Paris Hilton's house to document her squad car ride to prison, then why can't we send a few of them to Iraq to get the real story?
It clearly would have been cheaper just to buy the oil or invade somewhere easier that has more.
How so, Mr. Yon? Iraq (still) has the world's second largest known petroleum reserves, about 70 billion barrels. Saudi Arabia has the largest known reserves.
Mr. Yon's credentials as patriot may be unparalleled, but his command of basic facts leaves much to be desired. His "softball" and exceedingly uncritical analysis, with no underlying facts in support, easily falls under the heading of hearsay opinion, at best, and propaganda at worst.
Example: The big news on the streets today is that the people of Baqubah are generally ecstatic...
Really? How does Mr. Yon know this? Did he speak personally to any of the "people of Baqubah", either with or without a translator? (I could easily bet Mr. Yon doesn't know a word of Arabic, despite having been in Iraq for almost a year). Then, without offering any facts to support his statements, he quickly changes the subject.
Example: I’ve seen this kind of progression in Mosul, out in Anbar and other places, and when I ask our military leaders if they have sensed any shift, many have said, yes, they too sense that Iraqis view us differently.
It would be difficult to conceive of a more vague and ambiguous statement. This statement is nearly devoid of any substance whatsoever.
I could go on, but this type of news article is a severe disservice, not only to our American soldiers in harm's way, but also to the American public.
Bring the troops home immediately. They should never have gone. The war in Iraq has been a nearly total disaster from nearly everyone's perspective. Let's declare victory, and bring the troops home now, just like we did in Vietnam.
I support our troops, but someone has to stand up and shout that the Commander in Chief (the Emperor) simply has no clothes, and he is driving the American ship into the ground.
We need an immediate change of course. The recent "surge" is not producing the desired results; indeed, American soldiers are dying faster than before.
Throwing more soldiers into the frying pan will not solve the problem.
JMHO.
Good Luck.